MDE21341 - Doone Cottage, Rockford (Building)

House. Dated 1688 (internally), possibly built or enlarged for Gabrial Ball. Possibly C18 addition and mid to late C20 addition and alterations. Mostly painted coursed rubble stone with slate roof. Plan and development: C17 and C18 2- and 3-room-and-cross-passage plan lower end to right. Central hall with cross-passage to right and former lateral stack to front small parlour to right with integral stone end stack and kitchen to left (possibly C18 addition or rebuilding) with probably C18 integral end stack. C20 wing to rear of parlour. 1-storey lean-to addition to left-hand gable end (see straight joint) and 1-storey lean-to addition to rear of hall and kitchen. 2 storeys. Exterior: central first floor window raised in C20 to form gabled semi-dormer with drop-hung casement, and first floor 2-light wooden casement to left. 3 ground floor wooden casements, of 2 and 3 lights. Late C19 or C20 half-glazed door between first and second windows from right, with C20 rendered gabled porch. Evidence of blocked window to left of right-hand ground floor window and evidence of former external stack to hall (see disturbed masonry). Interior: hall with C20 ceiling and small fireplace in front room. Parlour to right has heavy chamfered cross beams, fireplace with chamfered wooden lintel dated 16 G MB 88 (Gabrial and Mary Ball) and stone reveals, and rendered C17 panelling on left-hand wall. Roof space not inspected. At the time of survey (July 1987) the house contained Gabrial Ball's will, dated 5 January 1720. An old photograph (a copy of which was also in the house at the time of survey) shows the house with a thatched roof. [1] The building was visited in September 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [2]